What is Tobacco Mosaic Virus?

The viruses that invade our bodies come in many varieties and can cause a variety of symptoms. Some of them cause simple colds or flu type symptoms such as fever and headache; others cause more serious ailments like AIDS or cancer. Because there is no way to detect on a virus by sight, it is imperative that you know what the symptoms of a virus are so you can identify if you are infected or not. There are some viruses that are known to cause certain specific kinds of diseases. It is best for medical professionals to isolate the patient to ensure the appropriate treatment if needed.

The first thing we will discuss are the viruses that infect living organisms, for instance, bacteria. Bacteria are very small but very dynamic; it can even outsmart a mass of defense cells to cause disease. Viruses are tiniest of all and cannot live for more than a day. While the symptoms of a bacterial infection can sometimes resemble those of a viral infection, the major difference is that there are no external signs that the virus has invaded the body. If a virus does not attack its target (such as a virus that invades a blood vessel or a virus that attacks a nerve cell) then it is usually benign.

Cigarette mosaic virus, or mosaic virus as it is commonly called, is a cellular infection that invades the digestive tract, colon, vagina, skin, and mouth. This is a broad category of viruses and it can affect any part of the human body. There is no way for a doctor to diagnose this condition in its early stages; therefore, treatment may not be possible. Common symptoms include diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal bloating, irritability, and chronic constipation. In rare cases, women may experience menopausal problems, menstrual irregularities, polydipsia, polymyalgia rheumatica, pemphigoid arthritis, and autoimmune disorders.

Other kinds of virus-infected cells can invade and damage healthy cells, leading to chronic inflammation, organ dysfunction, and chronic pain. Some viruses enter the cell via the blood stream, for example through a cut or broken driver. Other viruses enter host cells by means of a needle inserted into the skin. Sometimes the viruses get into the body through the digestive system, as with food poisoning, and other times the viruses get into the body through an insect bite.

When a virus enters the body, it can either replicate itself and spread throughout the body (as in the case of many forms of cancer) or it can kill its host (as with many forms of herpes and genital herpes). The virus that causes tobacco mosaic virus is a retrovirus; that is, it replicates itself using a coding system inherited from its parent virus. Since the tobacco mosaic virus uses a different coding system than the ones that cause various forms of cancer, people who contract it may have a different genetic makeup than those who do not contract the virus. Since the virus is passed on primarily by contact with an infected person’s saliva, it is spread mostly through close bodily contact, especially during sexual intercourse.

Though there are no known cures for viral infections, researchers are learning about methods of slowing their development and preventing their spread. Since some viruses only have one mode of reproduction, researchers are developing drugs that kill off the viruses without killing the cells that they originated from. Such drugs, such as the ones being developed by Novartis and Genentech, have been tested successfully on cultured human cells and show promising results. There is also a type of virus that has had some limited success in controlling its spread through use of antibiotics. Such viruses are yet to be approved by the FDA, but their development is likely to be far more successful than that of any other type of virus.